Cassiopeia Meissa Lestrange Part I: Little Lestrange
by tibys
Summary: This will ultimately will be a three part series that details the life of the daughter of Bellatrix and Rudolphus Lestrange. It follows about a year of her life, leading up to the imprisonment of her parents. Some dark themes are explored, child abuse/neglect, violence, and a dash of stockholm syndrome. Rating for safety
1. Chapter 1: Running Away

_Authors Note: So this story started mainly because of a podcast called Invisibilia (Great btw), specifically an episode about frames of references. I wondered what it would be like if somebody who lived a whole life knowing only neglect and violence would react seeing how a real loving family operated. It grew from there into something a little different, but some of the inspirational roots are there in earlier chapters._

The little girls heart pounded in her ears and a cold sweat covered her skin. The blood running through her veins was cold in fear and anticipation, every sound made her jump. She darted from one hiding spot to the next, anxious to not be seen by anyone. She knew instinctually that she couldn't trust anyone, and she also knew that she had not planned this escape all the way through. Sure, she planned how she was going to give her mother the slip, she planned her hiding places, but she had no idea where the end destination was. She would have to figure it out on the fly, it wasn't ideal, but nothing in life really was.

A loud crashed caused her heart to flutter and she tried a few doors as they passed. Most were locked, and fresh sweat began to bead the girl's forehead. Her absence must've been noticed by now; _she_ would be looking for her soon.

Finally a door she tried opened, and she stumbled in quickly and took in her surroundings. It was a bookshop, the lights were dimmed in the back of this shop and there were dizzyingly tall book shelves crammed into it. There was hardly enough room for one adult to walk in between the shelves, and nearly the whole floor space was covered in piles of unsorted books, stacked precariously atop each other. There were a few patrons in the store, however they appeared to congregate up front, where the shelves were more orderly, and the shop seemed cleaner. She would hide here, catch her breath and think.

The girl tip toed around the back of the shop, searching for the best hiding place, her eyes darting around, waiting for danger. After a few heart pounding moments she finally found the perfect place. There was a book shelf that hadn't quite been pushed all way against a wall, and it created a very small gap that she could just about squeeze into, and stacked in front of it, nearly blocking the view of the gap, was a pile of books, that was taller than her. So she twisted and contorted until she was able to wedge herself into the gap. She could just about sit down, though she had to hug her knees to her chest. Once she was confident she was quite hidden the girl allowed the tremors that she had been barely restraining take hold. She shook, and silently sobbed. She hated being weak, but she was safe, for now, and for just this one moment she let the emotions overtake her.

She needed to find a better hiding place. She needed to get far away from this place, and she needed a bloody plan. The girl took a few deep breaths and angrily wiped away her tears. Tears were a sign she was weak her mother would say, and she was not weak. She was strong and she could get through this. She wondered if she could hide here, until everything closed down, and all the shops shut. And then she could sneak out, or maybe they had a fireplace with some floo powder. She didn't know where she could floo to, but she could go somewhere that wasn't here. It was a start, and a very vital start at that if she were to get away from them.

A noise startled her out of her planning, and her breathing hitched. It was footsteps, someone was coming her way. Her blood started to freeze as the person came closer and closer to her hiding place, and she didn't dare to breathe as she glimpsed the person's hair over the stack of books. Maybe she wasn't as well hidden as she thought.

It was a boy; he was skinny, and heavily freckled, with blue eyes and shock of bright red hair on top of his head. He was scanning the shelf she was hiding next to, and was muttering under his breath.

"M…magical creatures, magical creature, ah" he appeared to find something promising as he pulled out a volume and flipped through it.

The girl shoved her fist in her mouth and bit down, if she could just keep quiet, maybe he wouldn't notice her.

He sighed and put the book on the shelf, and reached for another. This continued for another few minutes until he seemed to give up on that particular section. He sighed again, and the girl was certain that her luck had held when it seemed he was about to leave to search somewhere else. Then his eyes lit upon something on top of the pile she was hiding behind. He excitedly moved towards the pile, picking up the book that rested on top and flicked through it. The girl bit down on her knuckles even harder, and she tasted blood in her mouth as she broke the skin. She was in plain sight now, if he were to only look up.

She closed her eyes and sent out a wish to the universe, _please don't let him see me._ But the universe never answered any of her pleas, and this one was no different. She heard the startled sound the boy made as he glimpsed up and saw her.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know you were there." He apologised hesitantly. As he took in the figure, concern started to flare in his stomach.

"I didn't mean to scare you," he added kindly as he noticed the girl start to shake. She was a small thing, pale as the moon, with a wild mane of black curls shielding most of her face. She was also skinny, far too skinny, and with a shock he noticed blood running from the knuckles she was biting.

"Oh, you've hurt yourself, maybe I can help" he knelt down in front of her. The girl pushed her herself further into the corner in response.

"Are you okay? Do you need help?" his concern was growing as he took in the strange girl. He thought he ought to fetch his mother, but he was afraid that if he left her alone, she would run. And she clearly needed help.

"My name is Charlie. I am 9 years old. What's your name?" the girl hid her face and muttered something.

"Im sorry? I didn't quite catch that." He apologised again, and to his shock his words cause her to violently flinch.

"Please, don't hurt me. Don't tell them I'm here" Charlie's stomach twisted. His mother would know what to do.

"I wont hurt you silly, I want to help you. Maybe my mum can help you, she's just over there." This seemed to be the wrong thing to say as the girl retreated even further into herself, and wrapped her arms around her legs. She was covered in bruises, he noticed. They stood out especially against her pale skin, bruises he noticed with some horror, which were in the shape of handprints. He gulped; he definitely wasn't leaving her alone now.

"I promise I wont hurt you" he held up both hands now and took a step back to give her some more space and sat down. The girl eyed him suspiciously under her dark mane but seemed to relax as he moved away.

"What's your name?" Charlie asked again patiently. He knew his mother would come searching for him soon.

The girl stayed silent.

"Well, like I said, I'm Charlie. I was just back here looking for books about magical creatures. I love animals; in fact, I have this very cool book all about wild magical animals from around the world, and its got moving pictures and diagrams and everything. What do you like?" the girl's breathing started to return to normal, though a sheen of sweat still covered her.

"I also love sweets. Chocolate frogs are good of course, and I do like a cauldron cake, but when I'm feeling really adventurous, I like Every Flavoured Beans, do you have a favourite sweet?"

The girl jerked her head, and asked softly "what are sweets?" Charlie's eyes bulged in surprise before turning to quickly dig through his pockets. He had a box of sweets that he had been carrying around to ensure his brothers didn't eat them before him. The girl shrank back as he pulled out a large red and white box, filled with multi coloured things. She jerked back into the corner as he tried to offer it to her.

"They're great. Honest. See?" to prove his point he picked a bean and popped it in his mouth. Grass erupted on his taste buds, not so bad, and he made a show of enjoying it. "Sweets, they are the best thing ever. Here try one?" he held them out again to her, shaking the box slightly. At first, the girl didn't move, and Charlie's arm started to hurt so he simply put them down on the ground between them and kept talking about what he liked.

"Do you like quidditch?" He no longer waited for her answers, "I love it, Ireland of course is my team but this season the Holyhead Harpies have really outdone themselves" as he rattled on about quidditch the girl watched him, tried to find a pattern to his being.

She had no idea what he was talking about, and occasionally he would fish out something out of the box between them and eat it. Her eyes narrowed as she tried to ascertain whether he was carefully choosing certain things to eat out the box. Her father had done that once, convinced her to eat out of a box of chocolates, and even ate one himself to prove it was safe. He had instead put something in the rest of them that had made her ill for a week. She didn't think this boy was paying too much attention; he certainly wasn't looking at the things as he popped them in his mouth. Quick as lightning, her hand shot out to grab whatever those things were out of the box and she stuffed it in her mouth. The boy paused for a moment, as he waited for her reaction with a smile. A sweet taste exploded across her tongue, it was something she had eaten once before. "Strawberry" she whispered, her eyes widening in awe.

The boy's grin grew even wider "yeah, that's a good one. Have another bean." He encouraged. Emboldened by her first taste, her hand darted out again, grabbed a—what did he call it, bean? From the box. She coughed as she bit into it, it was spicy. "Pepper" she said.

"Charlie?" a voice called down the aisle and the boy's face reddened a bit. The girl pushed herself back into her corner, and once again buried her face in her knees.

"Charlie, are you back here? We need to leave, now." Charlie looked helplessly between the voice and the girl. Something in his mother's tone made his stomach twist unpleasantly.

"Its alright," he tried to placate the girl who was retreating further and further away "its just my mum. She can help you." This seemed to be the wrong thing to say as she flinched away from him, her breathing beginning to turn into frantic gasps. She was terribly frightened.

He saw his mother across one of the aisles, she looked pale and concerned, something was happening outside that was cutting the shopping visit short.

"There you are, when I call your name young man, I expect an answer." Her tone held no venom, only relief as she located her wayward son. "You're always disappearing and oh—" The woman stopped as she took in the sight of her son and the small figure in the corner. "Mum, im sorry but, she needs help." Charlie said softly, looking between his mother and the girl.

The girl in the corner stuffed her bleeding knuckles into the mouth to stifle a sob, as tremors took over her body once more as she curled herself into a ball. It was over; a mother, who was surely friends with her mother, had discovered her. She would have to go back to that place, and she would be punished for being naughty. More tears leaked out of her eyes as fear seized her lungs. She couldn't breathe, she gasped, and maybe she would suffocate. Maybe this was the end. The girl found herself hoping that it was, as any fate was better than going back to that place.

"You have to help her mum, something isn't right." He implored the woman. His mother agreed, her heart twisting as she took in the girl. She was malnourished, and covered in bruises. Whoever this girl was she was running from something bad, and she was obviously petrified. She wondered if she was the reason for the alarm that had fallen over Diagon Alley, the alarm that caused her to seek out her son in the first place. The Death Eaters were coming, and they were looking for something. She looked at her bruises and obvious mistreatment, and realised she couldn't leave this girl behind, whoever she was.

The mother was shocked to see the girl suddenly slump against wall; her hyperventilation causing her to pass out. Looking around quickly to make sure there was no one watching, she plucked the girl out of her hiding space, instructed her son to hold onto her, and disapparated out of the back of the store, leaving all their purchases behind.


	2. Chapter 2: Frame of Reference

She couldn't go directly to their home, as it was heavily warded and unplottable. So instead the pair arrived in a wheat field near by their home, the Burrow. The girl weighed nothing in her arms, a fact that worried the woman greatly. Whoever she was, she clearly had not had a good time of it, "quickly now Charlie, run on ahead and put the kettle on. And get your father." The boy hesitated, looking between his mother and the girl resting in her arms. "We'll be just behind you dear, go on" the boy's mother encouraged. Charlie hesitated for a moment longer before darting forward, eager to help his mother.

The woman, Molly, worried her lip as she carried the too light child to her house. She was certain that she was the reason for the alarm in Diagon Alley, and that carried certain implications with it. Whoever she was, she was obviously a target of the Death Eaters, and by taking her; she may have made her family an even larger target. She entered through the back door of the house, passed by an anxious Charlie, and her husband, Arthur hovered uncertainly in the doorway.

"Molly?" he questioned, at a loss for words.

Molly shook her head and gently laid the poor girl down on a large, battered sofa. She hadn't been able to get a proper look at the girl in the shop, when she had made her split second decision. Looking at her now, she knew she had done the right thing. The girl was a stick, like she hadn't eaten a good meal in her life. Her hair was wild and untamed- black curls nearly obscured her entire face. Her arms were covered in bruises and cuts, some in very concerning and alarming shapes.

"Arthur, I couldn't leave her." Molly said, a little defensively as she looked at her worried husband.

"Of course. I'll summon Albus, he'll know what to do." Arthur threw a concerned glance at the girl before leaving the living room. Molly carefully covered the still unconscious girl with a blanket. Charlie was hovering behind her, anxiously grasping his box of every flavoured beans.

"Will she be alright mum?" he asked uncertainly. Molly gave her son a tight smile, and said "course she will, we'll do everything we can Charlie."

xxx

The young girl woke with a start, her heart beating furiously, drenched in a cold sweat. She kicked off a hideously bright quilt off of her and quickly examined her surroundings. She definitely wasn't home, but she also wasn't in the bookshop anymore. There was only one door, it seemed to lead to a large kitchen, and the windows were closed and latched firmly. She heard voices, quietly murmuring in the kitchen, which ruled that exit out of consideration for her escape.

Her wild thoughts were interrupted by a gasp from somebody sitting on the floor near her, "youre awake!" the boy, Charlie she remembered, said brightly.

He was leaning against the sofa she was laying on, and he had a book in lap. She narrowed her eyes at him, and looked around again. If she was fast, she could leap past him, and maybe run through the kitchen before the people in there realised what was happening. Her hopes of a getaway were dashed when Charlie called for his parents. She heard the murmuring in the kitchen quiet and the scraping of chairs as their occupants moved to stand. She threw a glare at Charlie, feeling the sting of betrayal. Why would he get his parents, especially his mother, involved? And why would he call attention to himself like that? She found life was always easier if her parents were oblivious to her existence.

She took a few scrambling steps backwards on the sofa as several figures entered the room, the woman, the mother, walked in first with a plate of something that smelled delicious in her hands. Following her was an elderly wizard, with a long silvery beard and half moon glasses. Behind him, hovering in the doorway was another ginger haired man, who looked at her with an expression she couldn't quite place.

She kept scrambling away from the woman as she approached; ignoring the growl her stomach gave at the sight of the food. With a loud thump she fell over the arm of the chair and onto the floor where she righted herself immediately and backed up into a corner of the room. Or as close to a corner she could find, in this case it was two sets of shelving, one containing books, and the other appeared to be a cabinet for trinkets. The woman paused, uncertain and glanced at the old man who had calmly sat himself in a chair facing her on the other side of the room.

"Try putting it down mum" the boy, Charlie said helpfully. "She wouldn't take any sweets from me when I held the box."

"I think that is probably a good idea Molly, she's obviously afraid." The man said from the doorway.

The woman, Molly, hesitated before placing the plate of food on the floor between them and backed away. "I didn't know what you liked, so I made a few different things." She said softly before joining the ginger haired man in the doorway.

The girl looked at the food suspiciously. It smelled so good, but she wouldn't dare touch it. She had no idea what they had put inside of it, no idea if it was tainted. She could feel her heart pounding, as she took in her situation, desperate for a way out.

"You have no need to be afraid, we wont hurt you," the older man in the chair said gently, peering carefully at the girl. "Do you have a name?" her head jerked towards him, her eyes wide. They didn't know her name, they probably didn't know who she was, which meant they hadn't been able to tell her mother where she was. Her eyes scanned the room, searching again for a way out.

"How about some introductions," the older man continued, "you have already met young Charlie I see." She eyed the windows again; maybe she could get them open and slip out.

"That over there is Molly and Arthur Weasley." Her head jerked at the name, as she stared wide eyed at the two in the doorway. Weasley, blood traitors, here heart rate increased. She was in a house with blood traitors, if her mother ever found out…she swallowed, and renewed her search desperately. She could just figure out how the latch worked from here.

"And I am Albus Dumbledore." She gasped and pushed herself more into the corner. It was worse than she thought. Of all the people to catch her, it had to be him. She had heard all about Albus Dumbledore, and what he would do with her, if he were to ever get his hands on her. She started to hyperventilate, anyone but him.

'He doesn't know who I am' she thought desperately. He was the leader of the Order of the Phoenix, and her mother had told her all about them. How they would capture her, torture information out of her, and then make her disappear. How they lured people with false promises, and disposed of them when they had everything they wanted. She shook her head, she wouldn't tell him anything.

Albus frowned at her reaction, watching with worry as she tried to push herself further into the corner, how she had began to panic when she heard his name.

"Wont you eat something, I could hear your stomach growl all the way from here" Charlie asked softly.

She shook her head in violent jerks, and anxiously bit her knuckles. Charlie looked at her in confusion. "Why not? Aren't you hungry?" she continued to shake her head, glaring at the plate longingly, torn between starvation and preservation.

"You eat it first" her voice was hoarse and quiet; she tried to take some deep breaths to control her breathing.

"Why?" Charlie was baffled at the odd request, "it's your food."

"Poison" she whispered, her eyes flicked uncertainly towards Dumbledore, and narrowed in suspicion. He looked sad and surprised; she didn't trust his facial expressions. Her mother was a master of feigned emotion, and a wizard such as him must be the same. Both the Weasleys made quiet sounds of dismay; she turned her dark eyes to them, watching them closely to see their reactions. They both looked horrified.

Charlie looked shocked, and very carefully moved towards the plate that was placed a few paces away from her. "Like this?" he took a small bite of everything off of her plate, making a show of chewing and swallowing.

Her black eyes flicked between the Weasleys, Dumbledore, and Charlie. She waited for a few minutes after he had sampled everything and sat back. Not seeing any immediate side effects, she darted forwards and grabbed the plate and brought it close to her. First she was careful, sniffing every item, and stared at everyone suspiciously, but once she took her first bite her overwhelming hunger overtook her caution. The food was good, really good. Soon she was shovelling as much food into her mouth as she could, desperate for something in her stomach.

"Do you er, want more food sweetheart?" Molly called from the doorway once she had cleared the plate. She was dabbing every crumb with her finger, making sure every bit made it into her stomach. The girls suspicious gaze focussed on the Weasley matriarch, and after a moment of contemplation, she hesitantly nodded.

As Mrs Weasley left to prepare more food, the girl's eyes levelled on Dumbledore, she stared at a point in the middle of his forehead, unwilling to make eye contact.

"You wont get any information out of me," she said with false confidence, nobody in he room missed the way her hands started to shake as she addressed him. "I-I'll fight you. Even if you torture me, I won't yield" she pushed herself back against the wall, and her eyes flicked over to Mr Weasley, who looked astonished. "Even if you have your blood traitor friend help, you wont be able to break me," She hated how her voice broke at the end of her speech, it was weak.

Albus and Arthur looked at each other in surprise and dismay. It was obvious their suspicion was correct that she was indeed the daughter of a Death Eater, and given her looks they both knew exactly which Death Eater it was. It also appeared that she had been told some tall tales about the men.

"We would never dream of hurting you, or asking you anything that you weren't comfortable answering. We just want to help you get better." Albus said softly. He could tell by her reaction that she didn't believe him in the slightest.

The day continued much in the same way, the adults cautiously approached the girl, and with ample help from Charlie, managed to get her fed and miraculously, she allowed them to treat her injuries. They never did succeed in getting her name.

The girl was a ghost in the house, skittish of all of the occupants. The only one she allowed remotely close to her was Charlie. She ate only after she saw others eating from the same dish, and she tried running at least four different times, but never got particularly far. She didn't see Albus Dumbledore after that first day, a fact she was thankful for. Her mother had told her all about him, had warned her how he would hurt her if he knew who she was. How he would torture her to get information about the family.

She found several hiding spots in the house where she could observe the family interacting with each other. She knew how families were meant to be, and she knew how mothers treated their children. She didn't trust Molly Weasley, and she didn't buy the nice act for a moment. So she waited and watched, expecting the woman to lose her temper with her children, and held her breath whenever one of the children disagreed with her, or dared voice a complaint. It took two weeks until she finally broke down and cornered Charlie, determined to get the truth.

"When does your mother really punish you?" she asked the bewildered boy.

"Er—well, she did make me de gnome the garden because I broke one of the twin's toys by accident" The girl jerked her head in irritation.

"I mean, really punish you, for being bad." Charlie shook his head, uncertain how to answer.

"How does your mother punish you?" he asked, a little afraid of her answer.

He saw the bruises and cuts before they had healed and he had a horrible inkling. The girl's eyes narrowed, and she quietly studied him, searching for any joke or mocking. Finding none, she nodded and answered, "Curses, mostly. Cruciatus, occasionally stinging and cutting hexes, if I am lucky. It depends on her mood" her voice was tiny, as she looked away from the boy in front of her. "It's what mothers do." She finished simply and shrugged, suddenly feeling ashamed.

"Mothers don't do that" Charlie said firmly, "and that's an unforgivable, it's illegal. She should go to Azkaban." He felt mildly ill, wondering and hurting for this girl in front of him. He tried to reach out for her but she jerked back out of his reach and left him quickly.

Her mind spun and she wasn't sure what to believe any more. Could mothers be kind to their children? What about fathers? Her father ignored her most days, only paying her attention when he was feeling particularly bored and cruel, or if he had a bad day. Mr Weasley seemed like a completely different sort of man than her father, and Mrs Weasley had never laid a hand on her or any of her children it seemed.

She retreated, hid in another cupboard, and watched, listened. She preferred the dark, quiet, small cupboards that were scattered around the house. The darkness calmed her, and the small space she found comforting. She could hide, and she could hear. She overheard a great many things in her stay at the Weasleys, meetings of several wizards who must have been part of the Order of the Phoenix, she overheard private family conversations, and often times these conversations revolved around her. They wondered, generally correctly, about her identity. They pitied her, and she hated it.

She was lounging in a linen cupboard when she heard the beginnings of another Order meeting taking place in the kitchen. She stilled her body, controlled her breathing and closed her eyes, hoping to evade detection. Albus Dumbledore's voice spoke first; She tensed when she heard it, and strained to listen.

"Cassiopeia Lestrange. I've confirmed her identity." He said grimly. A cold sweat broke out across her brow.

"I suppose that makes sense. She takes strongly after her mother" Molly said, sounding resigned.

"It makes no difference, she is clearly as much of a victim of her mother as others are. We must protect her, Charlie told us that she said that her mother particularly enjoyed casting the Cruciatus curse on her Albus, she's just a child." Cassiopeia was surprised to hear such an impassioned defence for her, especially from Mr Weasley, a man who hesitated to even be in the same room as her for too long.

"I cant believe my cousin would ever have a child, but if she did it was probably out of some pure blooded duty. It doesn't bode to well for that child's future with a woman like that as her mother. We have no idea what she has been taught or how Bellatrix has influenced her. We need to move her somewhere where she can't learn our secrets, and go back to reporting them to mummy" A man said.

She scowled angrily at the door. "Her being here makes you an even larger target Molly, Arthur. Bellatrix doesn't share well, and if she knew you had her child…" the man trailed off.

"She's just a child Sirius," chided another woman softly, "what harm can she possibly do?"

"You don't know Bellatrix like I do Lily. My cousin is demented, and very capable of moulding a miniature version of her, either through indoctrination, or by fear and violence or all of the above. For all we know that girl was sent here to spy on us" The man, Sirius continued grimly.

"Perhaps we could move her somewhere. What about her aunt, Andromeda?" A tired sounding voice questioned. Cassiopeia scrunched her nose; she didn't have an aunt named Andromeda.

"I am afraid Remus, that Andromeda has already gone into hiding with her husband and daughter. We couldn't reach her even if we wanted to." A grizzled voice answered.

"Perhaps we could re-house her in the muggle world, away from this war and out of reach from her mother?" another man mused.

"And abandon her Frank? Leave her alone? She's only now beginning to trust us here" Molly sounded incensed at this conversation. "There is no matter to discuss, she will stay with us, and if that brings down the revenge of the Lestrange's well… this is as good of a reason as any." Silence reigned around the room at Molly's outburst, and she could hear Molly begin to collect teacups from those settled around the room, ignoring the protests from those who weren't quite done.

"And how dare you Sirius Black, she is your blood and you would judge her and abandon her before even meeting her?" her voice was low, dangerous.

And unfamiliar feeling blossomed in Cassiopeia's chest; she found it suffocating and almost intolerable as she heard the defence from the Weasley matriarch. She breathed slowly through the feeling, and ignored the tears welling up in her eyes.

The meeting continued, she half listened, and understood very little of it. They spoke about a prophecy, a new safe house, and several ministry policies. The meeting finally adjourned as small talk erupted over several pregnancies; apparently two of those in attendance were due very soon. She waited for the voices to fade so she could safely leave her hiding place. When the kitchen was empty, she came out and sighed as she saw a plate full of biscuits on the table. For the first time in her several week stay, she felt comfortable enough to take a biscuit without watching someone else eat from the batch as well. Hearing the Weasley's defend her so was confusing but heartening. Maybe Charlie was right, maybe her mom was the wrong one, and that his mother was the way mothers aught to be.

"Oh" came the surprised squeak of Mrs Weasley as she re-entered the kitchen, having seen most the guests off. Cassiopeia froze, a half eaten biscuit in her hand. "I am sorry," she said quickly, placing the biscuit back on the plate, "I just saw them and thought—" she cursed how her hands shook.

Molly smiled gently and shook her head "Please dear, help yourself, you're not in trouble" the older woman's eyes shined strangely as she took in the child in front of her. She had begun to put some weight back on, but it was clear she was still far too skinny for her age. The girl hesitated for a moment, and very slowly picked the biscuit back up and continued to nibble on it.

Albus Dumbledore returned with Arthur Weasley and came into the kitchen. The girl froze again, terrified of Dumbledore. Just because she was beginning to trust the Weasley's didn't mean that she trusted the old man. She had been told too much about him for that to ever happen.

"Ah Cassiopeia" he said kindly. She flinched and took a step away from him as he said her name. Of course she knew they knew, but hearing her name was never followed by pleasant experiences.

"I wondered if I could have a private word with the Weasley's." she retreated into the hallway and hovered just out of sight. Albus waited a few beats before addressing the two in the kitchen.

"I know you feel strongly about Cassiopeia, but I feel I need to warn you just what you are risking by keeping her here. Bellatrix Lestrange is a very bright woman, and she will find out that you have her daughter, eventually. And when she does you will be the top of her target list." His sounded sad, and deathly serious. The girl's heart pounded as she heard the truth in his words, she after all knew just what type of woman her mother was.

"Not you too Albus" Arthur sounded weary.

"Just make sure you are weighing all the risks, She wont stop at you, she will take her anger out on your whole family. If she were to ever fall back into her mother's hands, she has already seen so much, there is no telling what she might say, what might make it back to the Dark Lord."

Cassiopeia felt ill. She hadn't thought about that before, she knew her mother would be angry, but if she found her here, she would kill everyone, slowly, painfully. She had seen her do it before; she witnessed what her mother was capable of first hand. Arthur, Molly, their sons, she swallowed, Charlie. She would exterminate this wonderful family, and it would be all her fault.

"We understand the risks and accept them Albus" Molly said stiffly, "now if you don't mind, it's been a long night. I believe you can see yourself out," She dismissed him with a start.

Cassiopeia pushed herself into a small space behind a bookcase as the Weasleys left the kitchen. They walked straight past her and up the stairs. Anger and grief lined both their faces, and they clutched each other's hands like a lifeline.

The emotion that threatened her earlier came back in full force, filling her throat and clouding her eyes in tears. She couldn't let them die for her, because that's surely what would happen, eventually. Dumbledore was right, her mother would find her, and she always did. It was selfish to stay here.

She slipped out of her hiding place and re-entered the kitchen. Albus Dumbledore was waiting for her, sitting at the kitchen table. He looked ancient, sorrow lined his face and he looked at her with a heavy seriousness.

"You're right." She hiccupped, trying to hold back her tears, her sobs. She felt as if her heart was breaking, and a cold sweat broke out across her skin. She was filled with both adrenaline and exhaustion, causing her skin to crawl unpleasantly. Her heart was racing, and she felt she was going to be sick.

"I have to go back," her throat closed and the first quiet sobs overtook her body. Albus was by her side in an instant, kneeling down beside her, and he pulled her into his arms. She tensed, ready to run or fight him, before deciding she didn't have the strength.

"We can hide you if you prefer, in the muggle world. Maybe long enough for this war to be over." He suggested lowly, trying to placate the crying girl. He carefully, quietly, took his wand out of his sleeve behind her back.

She shook her head and sniffed, "This war is far from over, and she'll still find me. She will kill anyone I am with, anyone that helps me."

As she said it, she knew it was true. Her mother wouldn't stop, not because she loved her daughter, but because her daughter was her property. Sirius Black had been right about her mother, she didn't share well. She also knew one other thing; she hated Albus Dumbledore for making her make this choice, for pointing out the hopelessness of her situation. She hated him and his logic, and she would never forgive him. She clung to that hatred of him, of the situation, and let it fill her, let it overpower her sadness and fear. She felt it settle deep in her belly, it spread through her veins, turning her blood to ice.

Albus carefully rested his wand tip against the back of her head, and very quickly cast a silent spell, a fail-safe.

"Can I take you anywhere, help you?" Albus sounded just as resigned as she did. She pulled out of his grasp, took a few deep breaths to calm her tears, and grabbed one final biscuit from the table. She would miss Mrs Weasley's cooking. Her face fell carefully blank as she put the biscuit in her pocket.

"You've done enough." Her voice was strong, cold, resolved. She heard movement at the staircase, someone was coming, and the time to leave was upon her. Her eyes darted around, she refused to accept Albus's help in her escape, and the Weasley's had long since disconnected their floo network. Suddenly a horrible idea occurred to her, and unfortunately it was the only way she could leave quickly.

"What're you still doing up?" Charlie asked sleepily from the doorway, he took in the strange scene in front of him with some trepidation, Albus still kneeling on the kitchen floor, wand in hand, before looking at the girl, and he took in the cold blank look on her face.

She examined him briefly. "Thank you Charlie, perhaps we'll meet again. Tell your parents I'm sorry." And with that she bolted, ran out the back door as fast as her legs could take her. She wasn't as tired and malnourished as she had been when she first tried her early escapes, and she could feel she was faster, stronger than before.

"Mum! Dad! Come quick!" she heard Charlie yell from the kitchen, and she heard Albus give a half-hearted chase. Molly and Arthur rushed to their son's aid, and quickly realising what happened, also gave chase, yelling her name. But she was faster, and almost at the wards boundary of their house, she didn't have far to go.

The Weasleys came close, but her head start gave her an edge over them. She made it past their wards and shouted the name that caused them both to halt in fear, crashing into each other's arms.

"Voldemort!" she shouted.

Arthur and Molly watched in horror as several pops indicated the Catchers arrival. Safe behind their wards, the Catchers couldn't see or hear the couple, but they could watch the whole scene unfold in front of them.

The girl turned around, looked at where she suspected the Weasley's were standing and shook her head before raising her hands and getting onto her knees. "My name is Cassiopeia Meissa Lestrange, daughter of Bellatrix and Rudolphus Lestrange. You will take me home." She commanded. The Catchers hovered uncertainly, looking at each other in confusion and unused to being commanded by those that summoned them.

"Oi, but you said his name, it's forbidden," one of them said stupidly. She turned a glare at the catcher that spoke.

"I said our lords name to summon you. My mother must surely be looking for me, and I do not think she would look kindly on those who delay our—" she swallowed and said hatefully "beloved reunion."

"Bellatrix you said, Bellatrix Lestrange" the man, one who appeared to be their leader asked nervously.

She turned her glare to him and he recoiled. "Blimey, you are a twin." He muttered before pocketing his wand.

He looked around suspiciously but wisely decided further questions could wait. He offered the girl a hand and gingerly helped her off the ground, before disapparating with her.

Molly sobbed into Arthur's robes, and Charlie clung to his mother's leg, silent tears running down his face. His older brother Bill watched in shock a few paces behind them and Albus stood off to the side, wondering whether he had done the right thing, or the easy thing. It was after all for the greater good of the Order than the girl was returned from whence she came, with a message for those who wished to exploit her, buried in her head.

 _Authors Note: Dumbledore being the leader of the 'light' as it were, I always thought his name would be used to scare children, to warn them away from that side of the war, and to never trust him. I think the Lestranges enjoyed terrifying their daughter, and used Dumbledore and the Order as a convenient 'boogey man' trope. I also imagine that in a war time situation, Dumbledore would make difficult decisions, balancing the harm of one child against the safety of his organisation in the middle of a war with no end in sight. This is one of the 'greater good' Dumbledore decisions._


	3. Chapter 3: Consequences of Sacrifice

The Catchers deposited her in an empty room in the Lestrange manor as they went to go find the lady of the house. The house was busy as ever, with death eater's coming and going. Some stopped and whispered when they saw her, the missing Lestrange daughter, being dragged in by Catchers.

She didn't have to wait long to hear her mother's heels clicking in the hallway outside, headed her way, slowly. Cassiopeia closed her eyes and took several deep breaths, and tried to swallow the bile that was rising in her throat. She was sweating again, and her she tried to dry her clammy palms on her robes. She knelt in the middle of the floor, and bowed her head waiting for her mother to enter. She didn't bother muttering apologies when the door opened. Her mother paused in the doorway, surveying the scene in front of her with contempt, before shutting the door with a decisive click.

"My dear, sweet daughter." Bellatrix cooed and she circled the kneeling figure. Cassiopeia kept her face carefully blank, if a little contrite. "My sweet, missing, wayward daughter. They tell me you requested our 'beloved reunion'" her voice was light, dangerous. She knelt behind her daughter, and stroked her wild curls softly, pulling them out of her face. It was a parody of gentleness and caring. Her hand slowly twisted in the curls as she tugged on them, pulling her head back, she hissed in her ear, "and that you spoke _his_ name, spoke it in vain." She tugged her daughter's hair back further, twisting her hand painfully in the mess of curls.

She closed her eyes; tears leaking out from beneath her eyelids and wished her mother would just get on with it.

"And yet here you sit, with no words to justify your actions" her words were soft, murmured in her ear. "You worried me Cassie" Bellatrix traced her wand across her daughters exposed neck softly, "but I can see some discipline is needed." Bellatrix paused for a beat, re-adjusting her grip on her daughter's hair. It was all the warning Cassiopeia received before Bellatrix whispered "Crucio"

The pain was all consuming, she wished she could resist it; she wished she could say that she didn't scream, that she denied her mother that pleasure. But she would be lying.

Screams clawed their way out of her throat, as she thrashed in her mothers grip, tears streamed down her face, and she clawed at her body desperately, in a foolish hope to extinguish the blades piercing her skin. Her mother held her tight against her body, and sighed, pretending she didn't enjoy her daughter's punishment. After what felt like eternity to Cassiopeia, but in reality was less than fifteen seconds, the curse ended. She collapsed in her mother's arms, crying and sputtering, as Bellatrix made cooing sounds, stroking her hair, and wiping her tears.

"See what you made me do Cassie?" she sounded forlorn, but not remorseful. "See how you anger me so. If you were just a good girl, we could have avoided all of this." She held her daughter against her chest, comforting her, letting her catch her breath. It wouldn't do for her to lose her mind after all.

"There, that's better isn't it?" Bellatrix cooed softly as she felt her daughter begin to relax in her arms.

The girl sniffed and nodded into her shoulder, "I'm sorry mother. Please forgive me." She muttered, hating herself for the words. Bellatrix twined her hair through her fingers.

"Oh Cassie. Your actions speak louder than your apologies" she felt the girl stiffen in her arms. "Where were you Cassiopeia?" Steel lined her voice, and her grip went from faux comforting to a restrictive cage. "Three weeks, you've been somewhere, hiding. You know you'd be better off telling me."

But she wouldn't say. If she told her mother where she had really been she would put the Weasley's at risk. She left them to save them, and she would protect them now.

Bellatrix threw her off her lap in disgust when she didn't answer, and gave her a swift kick in the gut. "Oh Cassie, look at what you are making me do." Cassiopeia curled into a ball on the ground, wheezing and desperately tried to catch her breath. Her mother let her do no such thing, as the Cruciatus curse descending upon her again.

After an hour Bellatrix was certain her displeasure was known with her daughter. She still refused to say where she had been hiding for several weeks, or why she had decided to come back. But she was certain her daughter wouldn't try to run away again.

"Go clean yourself up Cassiopeia, and get out of my sight" she dismissed the bloody and exhausted girl. She struggled to get to her feet, stumbled a few times, but eventually, with many breaks, she dragged herself to her room. She collapsed into her bed, and tried to take stock of her situation, of her pains. She had kept the Weasley's safe. The pain was all worth it for that single fact. And she wasn't going to die, her mother was an expert at inflicting pain, and knew how to do it without causing life threatening injuries.

She was too exhausted to clean herself up, or to reach her hidden stash of potions that she had carefully stolen from the Death Eaters downstairs. Instead she reached into her pocket, pulled out the crumbs of the biscuit Mrs Weasley had baked, and ate it slowly, savouring every bite. Even though her mother was horrible, she rested better knowing that her mother was the exception, and that in the world there were children with parents like the Weasleys. She had glimpsed that possibility and it filled her with warmth.

She was locked in her rooms for a week. A week with no human contact, no entertainment, and with only stale bland food that was delivered magic twice a day. It was a week until her mother visited her with an unpleasant surprise.

"I have a present for you dear Cassiopeia" she said sweetly, a tone that she knew from experience preluded something awful. From her robes she withdrew a large gleaming silver ring.

"This will let me find you no matter where you are in the world. So long as you wear this, you will be connected to your mommy. Isn't it beautiful." It was beautiful, but if she understood her mother correctly, it was also the end of her freedom forever.

Bellatrix grabbed her daughter's arm and slid the silver bracelet over her hand and onto her wrist. She tapped it gently with her wand and it shrunk around her wrist, too small to pull off.

"It will change size as you grow older, and once you have proved that you can be trusted, only I can remove it. What do you think? See how it shines? I spent a lot of time devising this piece of magic. A Lestrange special." She grinned widely as she admired her work.

The band was a few centimetres wide, with snakes engraved delicately along the surface, wrapping around the band. Cassiopeia spun the band on her wrist, it had a little give, but it was too small to ever slip off. She noticed a twin of her mothers dark mark engraved on the inside of the band, only visible if she held pulled it against her skin. A knot twisted in her stomach as she felt the cool metal against her arm. She truly was bound to her parents and this place. She tried to swallow the knot that was forming in her throat as she thought through the implications, unwilling to show her mother just how effected she was by this decision. She would never see the Weasley's again. She would never be out from under her parents thumb. She was seven and a half years old, and she had thrown away her one chance at freedom. Her life was effectively over.

Xxx

A month had passed and life had fundamentally changed for Cassiopeia in the Lestrange Manor. It seemed since her little 'stunt' as her mother liked to call it, she couldn't be trusted to be left to her own devices. Now she was accompany her parent's various outings where they could keep an eye on her to ensure she was behaving. So far, to the disappointment of her parents, she had assumed the role of the perfect daughter and gave them no excuse to punish her.

Bellatrix woke her up in the middle of the night, dragging her out of bed and spelling a set of fresh robes on her. She was giddy in a way that always set Cassie on edge. "Hurry Cassie, tonight I'll show you what it means to be my daughter" she gripped her daughter's arm in a tight grip and disapparated away before Cassie was fully awake.

She coughed when they arrived at their destination, and her blood froze as she took in her surroundings. They were somewhere in the muggle world, a small village square, and several houses were on fire. Muggles ran from their homes, confusing and screaming as Death Eaters fired spells and tortured them. There was a force of about 20 Death Eaters, and they were ruthless. Her eyes streamed as she watched in horror as the green killing curse hit a screaming woman right in front of her.

"Listen to it Cassiopeia, isn't it marvellous?" her mother looked alive and mad as she revelled in the sounds of destruction. The sounds made her feel sick to the stomach, and the smell was choking. "Come, we must not let others have all the fun" Bellatrix's hand grabbed her daughters as she led the way through the chaos. Cassie gripped her mother's hand, afraid to let go, afraid to get lost in the maelstrom of violence and fire. At least with her mother, she knew she was relatively safe.

It didn't take long for Bellatrix to subdue a muggle. She made her daughter watch as she worked, explaining everything she was doing. "First you have to catch one Cassie. You can either stun one" A flash of red light hit a muggle man in the back as he was fleeing, "Or you could simply break their legs" another flash hit the man and Cassie almost retched when she hear the grotesque popping of his bones as his legs bent unnaturally. She released the stunning charm and the man let out agonised screams as he looked down at his legs in horror.

Bellatrix grinned as she checked on her daughter, making sure she was listening. "It's always a shock the first time Cassie, that's why I am starting you young, so you can get your stomach, so you can learn, so you can be the best." She gently caressed her daughter's curls and pressed a quick kiss into the top of her head. "It's ok to be a little nauseous at first darling, it'll pass, once you get a taste."

"Next, we can have some fun before we dispose of it. This is a good opportunity to practice any new curses or inventions. For now, we will start with the basic, conventional, a Cruciatus" Bellatrix lectured, turning her attention back to the muggle who was trying to crawl away from them.

She winked down at her daughter "you know the incantation well by now. But it requires more than a word, it requires feeling. Hatred and anger" she was kneeling behind her daughter now, her face pressed cheek to cheek against Cassie's, her arm wrapped lovingly against her daughters middle.

Her mother had never been this nice, this tender with her, this warm with her. She was horrified to find that she was leaning into her mothers touch, and she hated herself when she realised that she was enjoying this other side of her mother. Her cruelty was aimed at someone else, and she was acting almost maternal.

Carefully, Bellatrix wrapped her daughter's hand around her wand, her own hand holding it firmly in place. She swept her curls away and pressed her face against her daughters other cheek.

"You know the spell Cassiopeia, show me." She whispered into her daughter's ear, "Make mummy proud." Cassiopeia hated that she wanted to do just that, she wanted to make her mother proud, if it meant that she kept acting like this towards her. If it meant she could finally have a mother that cared. She slowly raised her mother's wand, and took aim, uncertainty causing her hand to shake.

"That's my girl," Bellatrix whispered encouragements to her daughter, and she tightened her arm around her middle comfortingly, tenderly.

"Cr—Crucio" Cassie said weakly, a she felt the wand pulse faintly with power as a weak spell slowly worked its way to the prone man, causing him to moan faintly.

"Emotions Cassie. Anger, hatred, contempt. You can do it." Her mother squeezed her middle in encouragement, "try again darling." Her voice was warm, and understanding.

Hatred. Anger. Both those emotions rose in her belly and threatened to take over her whole being. In that moment she hated herself, and she was angry at how easy her mother had managed to corrupt her, how easily her mother could manipulate her. She hated how much she craved her mother's attention. How, despite everything, she just wanted her mothers love; love like the type Molly Weasley gave so readily to her kids. This love was twisted, darker and viler than Molly's love, but it was the only love Cassie thought she would ever get in her life.

"Crucio" her voice was cold as she channelled her own self-loathing into the spell. The effect was brilliant, and for a moment she understood why her mother favoured this spell above all else. It was exhilarating, pure power channelled through her body, it felt intoxicating, and it stole her breath and stopped her tears. It was only when she became aware of the screams that her thrill faded and morphed into something heavy and dark in her stomach. She didn't really want to cause him pain, she never wanted to cause anyone pain, and yet in a moment of weakness, under her mothers spell, she had caused an innocent man a large amount of pain. She felt sick.

Her mother laughed manically in her ear, whispering what a good girl she was, and how proud she was. Cassiopeia was at war between feeling guilt over what she had done to the man and the warmth she was feeling towards her mother. Her thoughts were interrupted as several loud pops echoed across the square.

Bellatrix pulled her wand out of her daughters hand and stood quickly, assessing the situation and pulling Cassie behind her. Cassie's heart fell as she recognised a few of the faces that had come to stop this raid, the Order of the Phoenix. She clutched her mother's robes in fear,

"Shhh love" Bella cooed, blindly patting the girl's head, as she threw spells at a few of the newly arrived order members. "Here" she said as she slipped something into her daughters hand. Cassiopeia looked at her mother's gift, it was a knife. "Go, get behind me, and stay out of my way" it was all the warning she got before Bellatrix pushed her away and engaged properly in a duel with a man with shoulder length black hair and an arrogant disposition.

"Cousin!" he called to Bellatrix, grinning at the pair of them, "Have I interrupted a family outing then?" Cassie recognised the voice as that of Sirius Black. He had wanted to send her back, he had been so quick to judge her, and her eyes narrowed as she finally took him in.

"Just an educational outing with my beautiful daughter" The two taunted each other as they duelled, each trying to get an upper edge. Cassie clutched the knife her mother gave her to her chest, and watched the area closely. It seemed more and more Death Eaters were either falling or fleeing, and she knew they would have to leave soon or else they'd be hopelessly outnumbered. Then she saw him, lurking in the background, watching the duel between her mother and Sirius Black closely. He was looking for an opening, a way to ambush her from behind.

Cassie chewed her lip and twisted her silver bracelet; torn between helping her mother, a woman who had just started to love her, and helping the Order, an organisation that had reluctantly help hide her. The man raised his wand, ready to cast the spell against an unsuspecting Bellatrix, she watched him make eye contact with Sirius who smiled and doubled down on his taunting of Bellatrix. When he opened his mouth to curse her mother she made her decision. With a mighty scream she threw the knife as hard as she could at the man, and he yelped in shock as the blade grazed his cheek, leaving a trail of blood in its wake.

Bellatrix turned in surprise at the man and looked at her daughter. She cast a final spell and turned her back to the duel, all of Sirius's spells bounced harmlessly off her shield charm. Bellatrix only had eyes for her daughter, her beautiful daughter who had just saved her from a sticky situation. She laughed as she took in the red tinge of anger and exertion in her daughters face, and her confusion over her split second decision.

"My darling daughter, I love you." And for once Bellatrix Lestrange meant it, for the first time seeing her daughter as less as a duty and more as a legacy. Cassie ran into her mother's open arms, looking over her mother's shoulder at Sirius Black. He looked murderous, and continued trying to break through her mother's shields. He took a breath and made eye contact with her. He stared angrily and without breaking his their connection, turned and spat on the ground. She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms firmly around her and the pair disapparated away.

Their mother daughter relationship changed after that night. Bellatrix wasn't always the most loving or present of mothers, and her general attitude towards her daughter didn't change much on a day-to-day basis. She was just as carelessly cruel to her daughter as she was before, but there were also moments, days, where she could love her daughter.

Cassiopeia lived for those days, and she hated herself for it, because those days generally meant that she was going to cause a great amount of pain to an innocent stranger. Bellatrix had an idea that she was going to train her daughter so that one day she would turn into one of the most accomplished Death Eaters ever to enter the employ of the Dark Lord. Cassie didn't quite know how she felt about this plan, but she figured it would be a bridge that she crossed when she got there. For now she was pleased to have a loving mother, even if for a little while, and she was willing to accept the nightmares that were beginning to plague her nightly as payment for that love.

 _Authors Note: I think since Cassiopeia witnessed a mother's warmth while at the Weasley's, that she would do anything for a taste of that from her mother. I don't see Bellatrix as someone who was ever in love with Rudolphus, her marriage was something done out of duty, and Cassiopeia was part of that duty. That whole reproduction, continuation of pure blood line thing. But she is a career woman first, and would only really acknowledge her daughter in situations that she enjoyed, that she valued, and I think now she is starting to realise the value her daughter can have to her, how her daughter can be used to further her own goals and status._


	4. Chapter 4: Little Lestrange

Cassiopeia crept down the corridor late one night, in search for food. They had guests over for a formal dinner earlier in the night, and she had been confined to her room, lest she embarrass her parents. They had forgotten to send food up to her. So she found herself, in the early hours of morning, creeping through the dark and quiet Lestrange Manor in search for food from the kitchen. She was accustomed to sneaking around the house when she wasn't supposed to and had long ago memorised where all the squeaky steps and floorboards were. She paused near the library when she thought she heard a rustle from inside it. She held her breath and listened, hearing nothing she shook her head and crept on. Just as she was passing the open library door she felt a strange lightness overcome her.

 _Walk inside the library_

Forgetting what she was originally doing she decided to turn and walk into a library. She made a little noise in surprise when she saw someone there, drinking an amber liquid sitting regally in an armchair. The room was dark, the only light coming from the embers of the dying fire, and the figure was mostly in darkness.

 _Walk Closer_

She walked closer to the figure in the chair, her steps far more confident than she felt.

 _Kneel_

She knelt before the figure, confused over her actions.

"And who is it that wanders the manor at night?" Came a high-pitched hiss from the figure. She shuddered at his voice.

 _Answer_

"Cassiopeia Meissa Lestrange, sir"

"Ah, Bella's daughter" the figure took a sip from his glass. "The missing one. I see they found you." He sounded bored.

"Yes sir, I came back." She didn't dare move, whoever this man was he was bound to be important if he had free reign of the house.

 _Look at me_

Her head snapped up and she made eye contact with the man in the chair. She shivered when she saw his eyes were red and seemed to glow in the low lighting. Flashes of memory flickered across her eyes, her mother training her in the Cruciatus, her shouting the Dark Lords true name in order to summon the catchers, Mrs Weasleys smiling face. She closed her eyes as the last image flashed in front of her.

The man hummed and put his drink down on the table beside him before leaning forward, giving her his whole attention. "And now what is it you are hiding little Lestrange" the man hissed.

 _Come to me_

She took a few more steps towards him, stopping a single pace away.

 _Closer_

She closed the space until she was standing with her front almost brushing his knees. His hands carefully cradled her face.

"Do you know who I am?" the man asked curiously, as he brushed her unruly curls away from her eyes. She shook her head, speechless and unsure how she had come to be so close to him.

He laughed unkindly. "You will." He said lowly.

 _Don't blink_

The room darkened around her and she lost herself in the memories flashing across her eyes. They were clearer than she remembered, it was almost as if she was there. They started with an early memory of Rudolphus tricking her into eating a poisoned sweet from a box of chocolates. That one only lasted briefly, she saw flickers of her early childhood, hiding around the manor, and crying in her room at night, the casual cruelty of her parents. These memories passed as quickly as she registered them, and her head started to pound.

Finally the flashes slowed when they reached her running away from her mother, and finding the bookshop. The pounding grew stronger, and she wanted to close her eyes, to take refuge from the memories but she found her body unresponsive. Just as she was about to be discovered by Charlie she felt a crushing pain and bright flash in front of her eyes. Suddenly she was in the kitchen of the Burrow, looking at Albus Dumbledore. Only this wasn't something she remembered, this never happened.

Dumbledore looked angry, powerful, and old. His magic filled the room as a tangible essence and all of that energy was focussed on her. "How dare you Tom" his voice was quiet, deadly. "Using children, innocents to further your own aims. Leave her alone. She is under my protection, and you will learn nothing from her memories." A bright light pulsed out of his wand and just as suddenly as it started she was out of her memories and back in the room.

Back in the room with a very angry wizard that was. His grip tightened around her face, his nails bit into her skin, and she whimpered and looked away from him in fear.

"So Dumbledore was here first," he spat the name hatefully, and she trembled.

"I swear sir, I have no memory of that. I-I don't know where that came from." She stuttered, feeling sick once more.

"Look at me" he hissed, she gasped as his finger nails broke the skin around her jaw. She cried out as the memories tried to come back, only they were blurred and muffled, it as if everything was underwater.

She tried to pull out of his grip but found she could no longer move; she was rooted to the spot. The memories flashed by quickly, and they regained clarity once more when she left the Weasley's. Bellatrix's punishment when she returned flashed, as well as her teaching her the Cruciatus curse, the memories moved double time, running through her failed Cruciatus, the Order members arriving, and the hateful look Sirius Black threw her as she left. Seeing him, hearing his words echoing in her head, his ready judgement of her brought her back to the evening where she was hiding in a linen cupboard.

She felt the pressure in her head build, she felt it pressing against her sinuses, her eyes, her nose, and she thought it would suffocate her. When she was certain that it was going to kill her the pressure broke, and the memories protected by the barrier came flooding back into her head.

The memory of that night slowed down, and she relived every moment of it, every word that was spoken, every plan she didn't understand, the scratchiness of the woollen blankets against her neck, and the smell of the laundry powder Mrs Weasley used. She was transported to the moment. She re-lived all of her memories at the Burrow, and after what seemed like an eternity she finally surfaced.

Her head was pounding as she took a staggering step away from the man. The figure reached for his drink and contemplated what he had seen.

 _Stay_

She stopped moving instantly, and lowered her gaze. Her heart was in her throat, she strongly suspected that this man, whom she was beginning to suspect wasn't just any dark wizard, had been in her mind. That he had seen everything she did.

"Dumbledore's protection is nothing against my power, and you, little Lestrange, have been keeping important secrets" he hissed at her.

She remained silent and stared at the floor, and tried to keep the tears at bay.

"How old are you girl?" He asked after a while.

"Seven and a half sir" she said instantly.

"You, little Lestrange, have given me the most interesting idea." He mused, all trace of his anger seemingly gone. She swallowed thickly, wondering when she could escape this room, and the stifling atmosphere.

"Will you serve me little Lestrange? Will you pledge your life for me, as your parents have? Will you take my mark and wear it with pride, as your mother wishes when you are older?"

Oh. _Oh._

Now she knew exactly whom she was speaking to, and that knowledge caused a cold sweat to break out across her body and her stomach knotted itself in anxiety. She bowed her head, "Of course my lord, my mother has already begun my training so I can better serve you." She murmured, kneeling in front of him as she had seen many of his followers do in the past. It seemed to please him as he flicked his fingers and dismissed her. The lightness in her limbs disappeared as she left the library, and she hurried back to her rooms, her appetite spoiled by the strange occurrence of that evening.


	5. Chapter 5: Sneaky little Lestrange

Of her two parents, she preferred her mother's cruelty to her fathers. Her mother would draw it out, would toy with her, but she always knew when her mother was coming. Her father was more mercurial, more unpredictable. He had burst into her room in the middle of the night, insisting she accompany him immediately. Instead of shaking her awake, or calling her name, he cast a quick stinging hex, shocking her so much she fell out of the bed. He didn't allow her time to dress in proper robes, or even so much as pick herself up, before he was grasping at her arm and pulling her behind him, moving quickly enough that she had to awkwardly jog lest she have her arm pulled out of the socket.

She bumped into him as he stopped abruptly at the entrance of the library. He snarled at her and tightened his grip in warning, before knocking sharply at the door.

"Enter"

Cassiopeia gulped nervously, she knew that voice. Rudolphus shoved her roughly in the room in front of him, "Kneel" he hissed at her. She did so immediately.

"Rise Lestrange, and bring your daughter closer" she felt his arm on her elbow roughly pulling her up and pushed her further forward. She would have fallen over if a second pair of hands hadn't of steadied her in the last moment. She glanced up; her mother was standing to the side of the Dark Lord, her eyes gleaming in pride and excitement.

"Behave," she hissed as she helped her daughter straighten. She turned her eyes to the ground, twisted her hands nervously, and wondered what was about to happen.

"You may look at me Little Lestrange" The Dark Lord called from his chair. "I have a job that I believe only you can do." Her heart raced as she looked up at him in surprise. A job? For her? How could she help?

"You will answer the Dark Lord, thank him for his consideration" Bellatrix sent a quick stinging hex for her insolence.

"Ah Bella, you are too harsh. She is merely in awe." The man said lazily, eyeing the girl in front of him. He wasn't wrong; she was in awe of him. Her previous encounter with this wizard happened in a dark room, she had only seen his eyes, but now she could see him clearly and her heart pounded as she took him in. He was like a man, but distorted somehow. He was chalk white in appearance, his skin pulled tight against his skull, he looked almost sickly in appearance, His eyes, as she remembered were scarlet red, and where his nose should be, there were only slits, like a snake. He was tall, skeletal, and yet exuded raw power. She could feel it filling the room, pressing against her skin; he was overwhelming and completely terrifying.

"Forgive my rudeness my lord," she said, her eyes flicking away from his imposing visage. "Thank you for your consideration. H-how can I help my lord?" she flinched as she saw her mother raise her wand to hex her again, but the Dark Lord stopped her with a look.

"You are sneaky Little Lestrange. People don't notice you, and you hide in plain sight. You are a perceived _innocent"_ He hissed the final word in amusement.

She didn't know what to say, she cast side glances to both her parents, her mother on her left looked gleeful, eager to volunteer her to help in any way. Her father on her right looked pleasantly surprised that she had a use after all.

"Of course she will help our cause My Lord" Bellatrix gushed with pleasure. Her enthusiasm dimmed slightly as the dark lord shot her an angry glare.

"Well Little Lestrange?" he asked.

She didn't really have a choice and he knew it. She wondered if this was why he hadn't told her parents where she spent her time away from them. She wondered if that was why he was choosing her.

Finally she nodded her head, "It is true my lord. I have some experience in sneaking."

"You are smarter than they give you credit for girl." He said indulgently, as if reading her thoughts. "You are to get lost again, not for such a long time, and not in the same location of course."

It was a warning. Don't run away again. Not that she could if she wanted to, her mother had seen to that.

"You will accompany your father to the Ministry of Magic, where you will become separated from him. You will find yourself in the offices of Magical Law Enforcement. You will stay unnoticed for as long as possible, and you will listen, learn. When you are discovered, be a lost child, frightened of being separated from your dear father. Make it as difficult as possible for them to reunite you with your beloved father. Be a dull, frustrating child, and keep your ears open. The Aurors you recognise are the ones I want you to play particular attention to."

She raised her eyes to look at him in surprise; he was talking about the Order members she had overheard. She didn't dare look at her parent's reactions.

"Would I be correct in assuming that they won't recognise you on sight?" he was examining her closely. She thought about his question, uncertain.

"They might not instantly recognise me my lord, but they know I take after my mother." She heard her parents about to question the strange conversation, but they were silenced once again by the Dark Lord.

"Do not approach them, listen to them discreetly. If you are discovered, work with one you do not recognise." He amended his instructions.

She nodded her head, thinking through what he was asking of her. It _was_ something she would be particularly talented at, after years of hiding in the manor. After all, it was very similar to what she had been doing at the Weasley's, although then it had been incidentally, a self-preservation tactic.

"Well Little Lestrange? Are you the right person for this task or not?" She shivered as he smiled at her, it was grotesque and it was knowing. She swallowed thickly, wiped her sweating palms on her pyjamas, looked him in the eyes, and nodded.

"You wont be disappointed my Lord."

"I don't expect to be. Your father will inform you of the time." He sat back in his chair and dismissed her.

Bellatrix reached her first; she pulled her close and hissed in her ear questions about how she knew the Aurors. Before she could answer the dark lord called after her, causing the family to pause.

"Bella, I don't believe it is your place to question others orders." He was sharp, dangerous. She bowed her head, mumbled an apology and pulled her daughter out of the room a little rougher than necessary.

Xxx

"It's time"

A week had passed before her father summoned her. He gave her a few moments to dress and prepare herself. She tried in vain to tame her wild mane of curls, but ultimately was unsuccessful. She wished her mother could show her how to handle her unruly hair, but she was nowhere to be seen. She sighed, it would make it harder for her to blend in with such identifying hair, but she would have to work around it, hoping they didn't immediately recognise her as her mother's daughter.

Her stomach was knotted in anxiety and her blood rushed through her veins as the pair set off. She rarely left the Lestrange Manor, and she had never been to the ministry of magic. Her eyes widened as she took in the large gleaming atrium, the statues of wizardkind dominating other magical creatures, and the hustle and bustle of witches and wizards coming and going. There was a tension hanging in the air, coming particularly from a line of frightened looking people who were forfeiting their wands to armed wizards and were being sorted for something. Her father pulling her forward through the crowd interrupted her quiet observations. She noticed that people moved out of his way very quickly, and few dared make eye contact with him. She understood their fear; she felt the same way about him.

Her heart dropped as the elevator door opened and standing inside was none other than Arthur Weasley. He saw Rudolphus first, paled, and quickly averted his eyes. He looked both hopeful and horrified when he noticed her being pushed into the elevator ahead of her father. Arthur swallowed nervously, desperately trying to think of a way to help her out of the danger he saw her in. Rudolphus ignored her entirely, instead striking up a conversation with a nasty looking wizard who also shared the elevator with them. She chanced a glance at Arthur Weasley and gave a quick shake of her head, trying to tell him to leave her alone. His face went red and he opened his mouth, ready to argue when she glanced at her father meaningfully. Arthur shut his mouth and looked at her helplessly. She shrugged, gave him a sad smile, and turned her attention back to the door as it dinged.

"Level Two, Department of Magical Enforcement" A cool voice announced as the door open. This was her stop.

She gave a wink to Mr Weasley before slipping out the door at the very last moment, leaving her father to converse with whomever else was in the elevator, seemingly oblivious to her disappearance. She took a final glance back and smiled at Arthur's astonished face.

She looked around, carefully getting her bearings, and set off. She tried to wander with purpose, instead of looking lost. Not that she really needed to bother, the floor and offices were a flurry of activity as witches and wizards ran back and forth. It appeared there were a lot of unconfirmed reports of Death Eater activity coming in through the offices, enough to keep everyone busy, but not credible enough to pull anyone away from their desks for long.

She kept her ears open, listening to snippets of conversations that made no sense to her, and listening for the approach of anyone looking for her. She caught the grizzled voice she had heard at the Order meeting first. It belonged to a wild looking man, with blond hair and a heavily scarred face. Two blue eyes flicked around the office quickly, taking in as much information as possible as another auror gave him a report. She ducked behind a cubicle wall when he looked her way. The cubicle she took refuge in was thankfully empty; it seemed to be a desk where people placed miscellaneous paperwork and junk onto, a free space to clutter. She could hear quiet whispers of people in the cubicle next to her, another order member she recognised. Frank, she thought his name was. He wanted to hide her in Muggle London if she recalled correctly.

She circled the office, ducking and diving through the busy crowd. She hovered when she felt safe enough, in those moments she grabbed a spare piece of paper to read and hide behind. She lasted nearly forty minutes before someone noticed her wandering around. She was surprised to find it was one of the younger aurors, and not the blue-eyed mad man she had seen scanning his surroundings so closely earlier.

"Can I help you miss?" he asked kindly. He had sandy brown hair and green eyes; he didn't have the same haunted look on his face as some of the others in the office. She figured he hadn't seen very much action yet to remain so innocent looking.

She turned to him, and made her eyes water, "I—I don't know" She stuttered, fingering her silver bracelet. She cast her thoughts to her bracelet, to the loss of her freedom, using those feelings to help fuel her deception. She could feel her throat closing and her nose beginning to run as she thought about her situation. She sniffed loudly, causing the young man to frown in concern.

"Are you lost? Where are your parents?" He asked. She stiffened as he placed a hand on her shoulder, before forcing herself to relax and respond "mommy said I shouldn't talk to strangers." Her voice was thick and she sniffed loudly again.

"You're mother was absolutely right, you shouldn't speak to strangers. My name is Dafydd Savage. I am an auror. Do you know what an auror is?" She widened her eyes as she looked at him, and shook her head.

"An auror is a bad wizard catcher, and a helper for anyone who is in need. Do you need help?"

She spent a further thirty minutes stringing along the helpful young auror, whose desk was conveniently placed far away from the paranoid mad man with blue eyes and near Frank, the order member. When the young auror excused himself to check if anyone had reported a missing child in the ministry that day she slipped away. If she stayed much longer she worried she would be found out for real. Her father would be lurking on the same floor, keeping himself busy; intimidating some poor ministry worker she was sure.

She made it halfway down a mostly empty corridor when a hand fell heavily on her should. "And just where do you think you're going lassy" came the grizzled voice of the blue eyes auror she was avoiding. She recognised his voice, he too was a member of the Order.

She gulped and tried to think of a way out of the situation. She forced more tears into her eyes as she turned to look at the man. Up close he was even more scarred than she initially realised, his whole face was nearly covered, and a chunk of his nose was missing. His hair was straw coloured and textured, it stuck in all directions, and obviously it was not something he worried too much about. Both eyes stared at her, flinty blue and suspicious.

"I—" she started before swallowing again, "I'm lost sir." She hoped he wouldn't recognise her.

"Get lost often do yeh girley?" he growled, "say forbidden names to get found again d'ye?" so he did guess who she was. Before she could respond she saw the mad man look up and glare over her shoulder.

"Cassiopeia." Her father growled, snatching her roughly out of the auror's hands. "What have I told you about running off." He looked furious as he shook her. She gulped again and winced in pain as he twisted her arm uncomfortably.

"I am sorry father," she gasped out as he gave her arm another tug in punishment.

"I'm sorry father" he mimicked her cruelly, "And yet here we are again." He tightened his grip on her arm and twisted it even further back, forcing her to contort her body awkward to try and lessen the pressure that was building in her joints, genuine tears of pain filling her eyes.

"Lestrange. Careful, you wouldn't want to be arrested for child abuse here and now would ye." The auror glared at her father as he fingered his wand. Rudolphus sneered at the other man before suddenly dropping her. Cassiopeia quickly took a step away from her father and carefully cradled her throbbing arm.

"Child abuse Moody, nonsense. Are you hurt girl?" he didn't even look at her as he asked the question, instead choosing to stare down the auror, Moody.

"No father." She answered immediately; she hugged her arm closer to body, trying to not cry from the pain radiating from her joints. She wondered if it was seriously injured.

"Your time is coming Lestrange." The auror growled darkly at her father. Rudolphus raised his eyebrows and gave it a mocking smile. "And is my time today Moody?" at the aurors silence, he laughed and clamped his hand down on his daughters shoulder.

"Let's go. And don't run away again." He warned darkly, pushing her in front of him. She let out a small cry of pain as she stumbled forward, jostling her injured arm in the process. She felt the aurors eyes burning holes through her back as they made their way back to the lift.

They left the ministry without further incident. She kept an eye out for another glimpse of another familiar face, but gave up and instead focussed on taking in the snippets of conversation around her. She didn't understand anything of what she heard, but she hoped for her sake that the Dark Lord did.

When she returned to the manor the Dark Lord demanded to see her alone, away from the prying eyes and ears of her parents. The reluctantly acquiesced, not really having a choice in the matter and left her in his presence in the Lestrange library. Seeing him the second time, prepared with the knowledge of his visage, did not stop the nearly overwhelming fear that filled her in his presence. He terrified her.

He didn't want her to speak, only to look into his eyes. Much as he did before, he pulled the memories out of her head, carefully examining every detail, listening to every snippet of conversation. He made her go through the memory nearly a dozen times before he was satisfied.

"Well done, my sneaky little Lestrange." He dismissed her with another grotesque smile, and she fled the room as quickly as she could without offending the powerful wizard.


	6. Chapter 6: A New Prison

The atmosphere intensified in the manor in the following months. The Dark Lord had used her listening skills only twice more, and both times she went completely undetected. Once was in Diagon Alley, and the other time at the aftermath of a Death Eater raid. Her mother continued her training, each session more horrifying than the last. She found it difficult to sleep, the screams of muggles and blood traitors echoed across her mind whenever she closed her eyes. She saw flashes of their faces, frozen in terror and helplessness whenever she awoke. She felt sick when she remembered their final moments in life, before the horrible green spell snatched that away from them. She felt even sicker when she relived the euphoric power those spells gave her, short lived though they were. She felt ashamed when she recognised that she craved her mothers attention, her warmth in those moments, that she treasured those lessons as much as she hated them.

But as time passed the atmosphere shifted with her parents. They were busier, her lessons became more and more infrequent, and she almost never saw her father. The Dark Lord no longer called on her, and eventually all traces, small as they were to begin with, of the love her mother bestowed on her were gone. Her passing cruelty and indifference returned in full force. Eventually, she was back to being her mother's punching bag, an item she could store away and bring out when she was having a bad day and needed to relieve stress.

The bad days came more and more frequently; soon her punishments came almost daily. She had stolen a knife from her mother; she hid it away, and fantasised about retaliating. She dreamed of hurting the woman, of using the knife in all the creative ways she had taught on her, she wanted to cause the woman a fraction of the pain she was causing her daughter. But she never acted on these dreams. She never dared.

One morning she was startled awake with a loud crash that echoed across the manor. Gone was the bustle of noise from Death Eaters milling about, and replaced was the sounds of boots moving methodically through the manor, subduing anyone who was present. She hurriedly slipped on the first pair of robes she could find, her heart racing in fear. Something was very wrong.

As the boots approached her door, she hid in the corner of the room, wedged between the wall and her wardrobe. The door was kicked open and in came the blue eyed auror she had met at the ministry. Only instead of two normal icy blue eyes on his face, she noticed with some horror, he had one electric blue eye that was twice the size of his normal one. The eye spun crazily in its socket, completely unattached to his one remaining normal eye. She bolted from her corner, hoping to catch him by surprise when he had his back turned towards her. She almost made it to the door, her fingers had just brushed the handle when the auror spun with amazing speed and grabbed her from behind and lifted her up and away from her escape.

She screamed and thrashed in his arms, her hands wildly looking for any leverage on him. She pulled his hair, scratched his face, and slapped his neck. She heard him grunt with every connection until finally he manoeuvred her so he could reach his wand and stun her. He set her down once he was certain she was contained, both eyes trained on her as she called for back up. She glared up at the man and noticed with some satisfaction that she had drawn blood from her wild flailing.

The next few hours passed in a haze for Cassiopeia, eventually she found herself alone, handcuffed to a table in the department of magical law enforcement. They had dumped her in an interrogation cell and had seemingly forgotten about her. She idly fingered the chains around her wrist, carefully pulling at them, testing their strength.

She jumped as the door suddenly crashed open and two wizards and a witch walked in. One was of medium height, with dark brown hair that was neatly parted; he had dark, beady eyes that glinted with malice and a thin moustache above his lips. He gave her a murderous look and addressed the other wizard, a flustered man who was juggling several important looking files and folders.

"So this is the girl then." The moustached man examined her closely, looking as though he had eaten something unpleasant. "The Lestrange brat." He spoke the words as if they were pure poison.

"uh—" the flustered wizard nervously shuffled a few files, dropping a few of them in the process before he could locate the correct one. "Yes Mr Crouch sir, recovered by Alastor Moody earlier today at the Lestrange Manor. She resisted arrest sir."

"Do you know where your parents were last night girl?" he asked nastily, glaring at her.

"uh—" he didn't give her a chance to answer, cutting across her, "They are on their way to trial, where they will be found guilty and sent to Azkaban for their crimes, for life. Tell me why we shouldn't put you on trial as well?" she stared at him dumbly, unable to answer, processing what he had said.

The witch in the room looked appalled and answered for Cassiopeia, "Sir, she is only a—" she snatched the file from the flustered wizard, "she is only an eight year old child, what crime can she have possibly committed?"

Crouch sniffed, "with parents like hers, I am sure she is guilty of a great many things. We have reports that she accompanied her mother on several of her outings." Crouch was looking at her as if she was no better than the scum beneath his shoe. She felt cold, shocked at how quickly her whole world had changed.

"Think of the optics Crouch, there is being tough on Death Eaters, but to imprison children. We haven't done it to any of the other children." The woman tried to reason.

"Excuse me sir, uh—" the younger wizard gulped nervously, "perhaps Ms Bones is correct in this matter. It uh—" the wizard withered under Crouch's glare "it may seem like you are compensating" he whimpered, shrinking away from the furious man.

"As representative here for the Wizengamot I will not hear it Crouch, you are suggesting we give children to the dementors just because of their unfortunate parentage." The witch stood firm in her opposition.

Crouch spun on the woman, a snarl in place, "Of all people Bones I thought you would understand. Her parents are responsible afterall for the loss of your brother's family was she not?"

It was not the right thing to say to the woman, her anger morphed into something cooler, calmer, and far more dangerous. "Bellatrix and Rudolphus Lestrange have been captured, they will be convicted, and they will rot in Azkaban where they belong for their crimes." She spoke lowly, "I will not however hold her parents crimes again a children, much as I don't hold your son's crimes against you Crouch."

Cassiopeia was finding it hard to breath, she felt nauseous as she watched the two figures fight over her future. She felt helpless, desperate tears began to roll down her face. She was afraid.

Crouch turned an angry shade of red, and then started to turn purple. He took a few moments to breath, though it looked like the effort cost him dearly. "what relatives does she have?" he asked tightly.

"Uh—" some more shuffling occurred as the younger wizard looked for the relavent information, Crouch and Bones continued to stare each other down. "The Malfoys sir, and an aunt, Andromenda Tonks. Lucius Malfoy stands accused of being a Death Eater, his trial in next week. Nobody has seen the Tonks family for almost a year. Her husband failed to appear at his muggle born registration hearing. They are presumed dead."

Crouch bared his teeth in a horrible facsimile of a smile; "No one can claim her then. She will go to the muggle world, to an orphanage until it is time for her to re-join wizarding society. Her name will be changed, so the victims of her parents will be unable to seek revenge. Hopefully her time out of this world will give her an appreciation of muggle life and society and she will see that her parent's fanatic beliefs are wrong."

"It is rather unorthodox Bartemius," the witch looked uncertain.

"Do you have any specific complaints over this solution Bones?" he was grinning wider now, knowing he had won this debate.

The witched shook her head, but continued to look worried. "What will her name be?" she finally asked.

Crouch was already on his way out of the room when he heard her question. He paused in thought for a moment before smirking "Mildred Smith should do."

And just like that Cassiopeia Meissa Lestrange had lost her parents, her name, and her world. By the end of the day she was dropped off at what she was sure was the most run down orphanage in the country in some no name midlands town. She was brought to her new home with no belongings; they had forced her to leave her robes behind and gave her ill-fitting muggle clothes. The only thing from her old life that she had was the silver bracelet her mother had made her, they had been unable to remove it and figured it would do no harm. The ministry official that accompanied her knocked briskly on the door, provided the correct documentation, listing her parents as incarcerated for life for violent crimes, and left with a short warning about the international statute of secrecy. If she didn't want to join her parents he said, then she would do well to not mention the wizarding world ever.

Mildred Smith cried at the sudden loss of everything she knew, she had left one prison, narrowly avoided another prison, and ended up in a new prison. She would never see the wizarding world again.

 _Author's Note: Crouch sr. we know is a fanatical man who reached new depths of cruelty. I think he is also a little unhinged at this point, having just arrested his son with the Lestrange's. The ministry is trying to purge voldemorts influence on it, so Lucius is still being held under suspicion, and Crouch doesnt want her treated just like any other child. I think he wants her to be singled out, and given what he knows the Lestrange's beliefs are he thinks forcing her to live amongst muggles is a poetic justice. And stripping her of her name, something people like the Lestranges and the Blacks place a great value on._

 _Part two of this story is now up and is being updated on a regular basis. So far ive written more than I have for part I and I havent even gotten to Hogwarts yet. It follows her time in the muggle world, and her Hogwarts years. Check it out, give it a follow, and as always, please leave a review! positive is always appreciated and constructive criticisms is loved._


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